Through  the  Great  Wall 
into  North  China 


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in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


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Wellesley  in  North  China 


Not  to  be  ministered  unto  but  to  minister. 


THAT  YOU  MAY  KNOW. 


Miss  Frances  Taft,  graduate  of  Wellesley,  1909.  She 
was  secretary  of  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement. 
1909-1910. 

Miss  Taft  sailed  for  China  February  19,  1911,  arriving 
March  12th  in  Shanghai. 

Fler  support  was  guaranteed  by  several  groups  of 
Wellesley  friends. 

She  was  appointed  to  North  China  and  resided  for 
language  study  at  Peking.  Later,  because  of  the  revolu- 
tion, she  took  up  residence  in  Tientsin. 

At  Tientsin  Miss  Taft  gave  half  time  to  Association 
work  from  September,  1912,  to  March,  1913,  working 
especially  with  the  students  in  a high  class  girls’  school. 

In  March,  1913,  she  was  called  to  Shanghai  as  assist- 
ant general  secretary. 

In  July,  1913,  she  was  appointed  general  secretary  for 
Shanghai. 

In  1912,  the  Wellesley  Alumnae  Association  officially 
assumed  her  support. 

This  support  was  $1,100  a year,  which  includes  salary 
and  the  expense  of  house  rent,  physician  and  teacher. 
In  addition  they  assumed  $300  yearly  for  the  extension 
of  the  National  work  in  China. 

In  February,  1914,  Miss  Taft  resigned  her  position  in 
Shanghai  Association  to  return  to  America. 


(See  page  17) 


THROUGH  THE  GREAT  WALL  INTO  NORTH 
CHINA. 


Foreword. 


The  great  wall  of  China  which  climbs  from  hilltop 
to  hilltop,  with  audacious  disregard  of  trend  and 
hindrance,  still  bounds  the  territory  of  North  China. 
From  its  now  crumbling  watch-towers  one  is  thrilled 
by  the  tide  of  modern  enterprise  which  is  being  car- 
ried through  the  widened  gateways  and  through  the 
breaches  of  its  foundations  by  rails  of  steel  and  taut 
stretched  wires.  A smoke  on  the  horizon  locates  the 
vast  mines  whose  development  marks  the  end  of  clean 
air  in  the  cities.  The  light  that  glows  out  on  a misty 
night  above  ancient  Peking  betrays  the  passing  of 
the  tallow  candle.  Great  buildings  rise  above  the  level 
of  the  housetops,  indicating  a growing  ambition  and 
an  endeavor  to  put  China  among  the  foremost  nations 
of  the  world.  The  modern  cruiser,  replacing  a fleet 
of  junks,  trails  a cloud  of  smoky  civilization  above 
the  waters  that  are  now  the  pathway  of  the  western 
nations.  Peace,  as  the  world  knows  peace,  is  more 
nearly  accomplished  in  China  to-day  than  was  thought 
possible  in  her  hour  of  national  re-birth.  Those  who 
are  willing  to  listen  to  the  missionary  message  and 
to  the  Word  of  God  have  multiplied  by  millions  during 
the  past  two  years.  It  is  an  hour  of  receptivity — 
inasmuch  as  we  are  servants  of  a living  faith  have  we 
opportunity  to  move  China  to-day.  A recent  meeting 
held  by  Dr.  Mott  and  Mr.  Eddy  of  North  China  evi- 
denced this.  In  Peking,  followed  one  meeting  attend- 
ed  by  more  than  three  hundred  women,  ninety-seven 
signed  on  for  Bible  study.  In  Tientsin  scores  of  young 
women  from  the  government  schools  joined  Bible 
classes  following  the  addresses.  The  women  who  hear 
the  message  are  a great  host.  Few  there  are  to  guide 
them  in  their  new  learning.  Of  the  message  of  Chris- 


3 


tianity  to  mothers,  to  home-makers,  to  women  in 
industry,  to  women  in  the  rural  places,  little  has  as 
yet  been  said. 

Language. 

Work  of  the  Association  in  China  divides  itself 
territorially  along  lines  of  language.  Mandarin  is 
spoken  by  three  hundred  millions  of  the  Chinese 
people,  but  there  are  of  Mandarin  almost  as  many 
dialects  as  there  are  provinces.  The  variations  are 
usually  classified  as  Northern  and  Southern  Mandarin, 
the  North  Mandarin  being  modeled  theoretically  after 
that  spoken  in  Peking,  so  that  in  speaking  of  “North 
China"  we  mean  that  section  of  China  where  the 
Pekinese  Mandarin  prevails.  In  this  region  are 
the  cities  of  Peking,  Tientsin,  Tungchow  and  Pao- 
ting-fu.  Practically  all  the  personal  contact  with  the 
women  of  North  China  must  be  obtained  through  the 
medium  of  their  own  dialect,  d'he  conservatism  of 
the  north  has  prevented  even  a limited  use  of  English 
among  the  people. 


PEKING. 

A Near  View. 

To  see  Peking  from  the  city  wall  is  to  look  out 
over  a forest  of  trees,  with  gleaming  yellow  roofs  of 
the  old  palaces,  green  tiled  house  tops  of  deposed 
princes,  and  the  blue  domes  of  memorial  temples. 
\'ast  granaries  that  once  held  the  imperial  tribute  are 
now  crumbling  to  dust.  Around  what  was  once  the 
old  Imperial  City  runs  a crimson  wall  with  yellow 
tiled  top,  called  the  “great  red  wall”  by  Chinese  poets. 
Beyond  this  wall  is  the  outer  wall  of  the  “Tartar 
city"  and  alongside  the  “Tartar  city"  what  is  known 
as  the  “Chinese  city.”  The  extent  of  the  outer  walls 
is  nineteen  miles.  On  the  sites  of  old  palaces  and 


4 


wrecked  temples  are  being  constructed  the  modern 
office  buildings  with  no  hint  of  mystery.  They  are 
typical  of  the  material  renaissance  which  China  is 
destined  to  experience.  The  utilitarian  stare  of  these 
buildings  is  bent  on  broad  boulevards  that  erstwhile 


One  of  Thousands  oi  Alleys. 


were  glittering  with  cavalcades  of  caparisoned  horse- 
men. Within  these  edifices  are  transacted  in  one  day 
measures  which  in  former  times  of  obstructive  legis- 
lation were  years  in  coming  to  fruition. 

Women’s  Education. 

The  type  of  women’s  education,  as  undertaken 
by  the  national  government,  is  as  yet  experimental. 
Kaleidoscopic  change  in  administration  has  created 
many  directors  of  education ; first  progressive,  then 
conservative,  then  reactionary.  A man,  educated  in 
the  United  States,  was  succeeded  by  a gentleman 
trained  in  the  old  system  of  education,  he  in  turn  was 
superceded  by  a man  whose  only  claim  as  director  of 
education  was  that  he  had  long  been  an  official.  Nev- 


5 


ertheless  there  is  working  out  through  experiment  and 
experience  a policy  that  will  eventually  provide  edu- 
cation for  all  Chinese  girls.  It  is  very  difficult  to  se- 
cure women  who  will  leave  the  great  centers  to  go 
into  smaller  cities  or  the  country  as  teachers. 

Influence  of  Peking. 

Socially. 

With  all  the  schools  that  are  now  begun  in 
l^eking  it  is  evident  that  it  will  become  one  of  the 
most  important  educational  centers  of  China.  The 
influence  of  Peking  is  felt  in  the  remotest  hamlet  in 
the  most  distant  province.  A few  words  spoken  in 
Pekinese  bring  a recognition  that  no  other  dialect 
invites.  Plans  and  customs  may  and  do  originate  in 
other  cities  of  the  republic,  but  when  Peking  sets  its 
stamp  upon  a custom  it  becomes  an  established  usage. 
Moreover,  this  city  is  the  center  of  the  yet  sporadic 
woman’s  movement,  of  literary  clubs  and  of  social 
circles.  During  the  perils  of  the  revolution  the  Chi- 
nese women  in  connection  with  the  missionaries  had 
an  organization  effected  whereby  families  and  indi- 
viduals might  be  protected  in  case  of  danger.  Clubs 
were  organized  for  the  preparation  of  Red  Cross  ma- 
terials for  nurses.  For  some  years  the  missions  have 
had  a so-called  university  extension  work  in  which 
lectures  on  public  topics  have  been  given  by  promi- 
nent Chinese  women.  In  short,  there  is  no  city  in 
China  where  the  women  are  more  ripe  for  organized 
effort  among  themselves  than  are  the  women  in 
Peking. 

It  cannot  be  said  of  North  China  as  of  other  cities 
in  the  Republic  that  there  are  no  unmarried  women. 
The  classic  fathers  of  the  past  generations  have  been 
interested  in  the  education  and  culture  of  their  daugh- 
ters. There  are  found  in  many  homes  of  North  China 


6 


young  women  whose  life  is  purposeful  and  helpful, 
and  who  have  remained  unmarried.  It  has  been,  there- 
fore, not  as  difficult  in  Peking  as  in  other  cities  to 
secure  competent  teachers  from  among  Chinese  ladies 
to  take  the  head  of  girls’  schools.  Of  these  educated 
women,  naturally  the  princesses  of  the  “Manchu” 
dynasty  were  the  leaders. 

Educationally. 

Before  there  were  any  government  schools  in  Pe- 
king several  Manchu  princesses  had  girls’  schools  un- 
der their  patronage.  These  were  in  excellent  order 
and  doing  good  work.  The  word  “Manchu”  has  almost 
disappeared  from  Chinese  conversation  and  more 
completely  have  these  girls’  schools  become  a thing 
of  the  past.  These  were  the  real  beginnings  of 
women’s  education  in  the  northern  capital. 

Peking  has  a large  number  of  women  of  superior 
education  and  of  broadened  outlook,  the  wives  of  the 
high  officials  of  the  government.  These  women  are 
in  a small  measure  part  of  the  society  of  the  diplomatic 
corps  and  their  return  to  their  home  provinces  carries 
much  influence  among  their  own  people. 

In  the  Government  Normal  School,  which  typifies 
the  most  advanced  education  to-day,  a young  woman 
educated  in  America  was  employed  as  a teacher.  Her 
training  and  real  worth  soon  made  her  the  most  popu- 
lar teacher  in  the  school.  Not  only  was  she  this,  but 
she  was  successful  in  getting  over  forty  young  women 
students  into  a Bible  class.  Soon  after  there  came  a 
change  of  school  superintendent  and  she  was  ten- 
dered “an  indefinite  leave  of  absence.”  She  had  been 
too  successful. 

For  three  years  there  has  been  on  file  with  the 
National  Committee  of  China  a formal  request  from 
the  Missionary  Association  of  Peking  for  secretaries 


7 


to  be  provided  at  once  for  the  capital.  There  have 
been  at  various  times  secretaries  in  Peking  as  stu- 
dents of  the  language,  and  the  last  year  there  was 
opened  in  Peking  a secretarial  home  in  which  are  Miss 
King  and  Miss  Severin  preparing  for  work  in  Peking, 
so  soon  as  the  strengthening  of  the  situation  in  other 
cities  in  China  makes  feasible  the  opening  of  work 
in  the  city.  There  are  two  student  branches  in  Peking ; 
one  in  the  Women’s  Union  College  with  a membership 
of  eighty,  and  one  in  the  Methodist  Girls’  School. 


TIENTSIN. 

While  Peking  as  capital  of  China  is  of  greatest 
importance,  Tientsin  is  the  key  to  that  more  widely 
known  city — it  is  the  birthplace  of  many  of  the  re- 
forms, revolutions  and  progressive  measures  that 
reach  more  slowly  the  conservative  city  of  the  rulers. 
It  has  no  natural  beauties  to  commend  it ; it  is  flat, 
almost  treeless,  windswept  and  dusty,  chill  from 
ocean  winds,  hot  in  summer  and  having  a glorious 
autumn  and  winter  climate.  The  people  of  Tientsin, 
while  coming  from  many  provinces,  speak  Mandarin, 
and  work  with  the  people  has  more  coherence  than 
in  a city  where  the  population  is  of  many  dialects. 
The  race  is  a northern  one — hardy,  stern,  dependable ; 
not  given  to  hilarity  and  contention.  Beasts  of  burden 
and  carts  are  employed  in  their  business — agriculture, 
which  occupies  all  the  men  who  till,  and  the  women 
who  grind,  in  the  vast  level  plain  of  the  North.  The 
food  of  the  people  is  largely  wheat  and  millet,  with 
a few  coarse  vegetables  and  pork.  The  scarcity  of 
water,  the  dust,  the  need  of  heavy  clothing  that  is  not 
so  easily  washed,  make  the  laboring  people  of  North 
China  often  less  attractive  in  appearance  than  are  the 
southern  people. 


8 


1 wo  women  shall  be  grinding  at  a mill,  one  taken  and  the  other  leit." 


Provincial  Education. 

Government  education  for  girls  was  first  begun  in 
Tientsin.  1 he  Girls’  Normal  School  is  the  oldest  of 
its  type  in  China.  The  Normal  in  its  beginning  fol- 
lowed a unique  plan — young  women  were  brought 
from  provinces  of  the  south,  expenses  paid,  all  acces- 
sories provided,  and  a few  dollars  monthly  allowed 
them  on  attainment  of  certain  scholarship.  Govern- 
ment kindergartens  have  gathered  in  the  darlings  of 
the  gentry  families,  keen  eyed,  refined,  alert  children. 
1 he  “public  school,”  so-called,  has  many  girls  from 
better  homes.  Some  industrial  work  is  a common 
feature  of  all  schools,  showing  a practical  and  sensible 
desire  of  the  authorities  to  harmonize  home  avocations 
and  education.  Numbers  of  private  or  gentry  schools 
have  existed  for  consecutive  years  in  Tientsin.  Nearly 
all  the  schools  have  physical  exercises  in  one  form  or 
another,  often  such  as  are  suitable  only  for  men  and 
boys.  Selected  ethics  are  taught  in  schools.  Classic 


9 


readers  especially  written  and  illustrated  for  girls 
are  provided.  These  include  topics  of  decorum,  punc- 
tuality, respect  for  parents,  proper  attitude  to  men, 
etc. 


THE  YOUNG  WOMEN’S  CHRISTIAN 
ASSOCIATION. 

Beginnings. 

Miss  E.  M.  Saxelby  began  her  study  of  the  Man- 
darin language  in  Tientsin  in  1910,  taking  up  her  resi- 
dence there.  She  was  invited  to  teach  classes  in 
physical  work  in  two  of  the  government  girls’  schools. 
This  she  did  with  heroic  devotion  and  singleness  of 
purpose.  During  the  revolution  of  1912  when  all 
school  work  was  abandoned.  Miss  Saxelby  was  called 
to  help  care  for  Mandarin-speaking  refugees  in  Shang- 
hai. While  on  a street  car,  one  day,  she  unexpectedly 
met  two  Tientsin  students  and  discovered  that  her 
students  in  physical  education  were  enrolled  and  were 
drilling  in  the  Women’s  Army  of  China!  Calls  fol- 
lowed and  she  organized  some  of  them  into  a First 
Aid  class ; then,  at  the  request  of  a few  of  them,  made 
plans  for  a Bible  class,  which  did  not  meet,  as  the 
young  women  were  suddenly  ordered  to  the  front.  But 
they  went  literally  with  “Studies  in  Mark’’  under  their 
arms  for  the  books  reached  them  at  the  Shanghai- 
Nanking  Railway  Station.  Peace  came,  and  the  young 
women  returned  to  Tientsin,  where  Miss  Saxelby  soon 
organized  a Bible  class  of  over  twenty  of  them,  as 
well  as  giving  intensive  teaching  to  some  of  the  more 
earnest. 

Organization. 

Miss  Paxson  and  Miss  Taft  were  sent  to  Tientsin 
in  the  fall  of  1912  to  be  associated  with  Miss  Saxelby 
while  they  were  doing  half-time  language  study. 


10 


Through  the  courtesy  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety, a house  was  rented  in  the  foreign  settlement. 
Calls  were  made  and  social  gatherings  were  held.  The 
National  Committee  asked  several  ladies,  Chinese  and 
foreign,  to  serve  as  an  Advisory  Committee,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1913  organization  was  effected  ; the  Ad- 
visory Committee  disbanded  ; Miss  Saxelby  was  made 
general  secretary,  and  a charter  membership  of 
twenty-six  was  formed. 


Student  Association  Methodist  School. 


At  the  meeting  for  organization  a recognition  serv- 
ice for  the  reception  of  the  members  was  employed. 
The  Chinese  are  highly  appreciative  of  dignified  forms 
of  service.  Within  three  months  from  the  time  of 
organization  more  than  one  hundred  young  women 
were  enrolled  in  Bible  classes.  The  membership  had 
increased  to  eighty-one.  The  students  enrolled  in 
Bible  classes  were  from  the  Woman’s  Law  School, 
The  Government  Normal,  the  Government  Hospital 
and  Training  School  and  from  the  British  College. 
The  growth  during  the  entire  year  has  been  sub- 


11 


stantial.  The  total  membership  is  now  over  one  hun- 
dred women  who  have  been  carefully  chosen.  The 
ideal  of  work  has  been  to  instruct  a small  number  of 
members  carefully  as  to  the  ideals  and  possibilities 
of  the  Association  and  to  add  to  the  membership  in 
ratio  as  a membership  can  thus  be  taught  and  trained 
for  service.  Every  member  of  the  Tientsin  Associa- 
tion is  a factor  in  its  life.  There  are  besides  social 
work  and  Bible  classes,  groups  in  singing,  sewing  and 
clubs  for  the  study  of  English. 

The  Present. 

In  the  summer  of  1913  Miss  Mayhew,  National 
Director  of  Physical  Education,  visited  Tientsin  and 
Peking  and  presented  her  plan  for  the  development  of 
the  physical  life  in  the  Association.  She. was  cordially 


Tientsin  opposite  Association  Headquarters. 


received  by  the  authorities  of  the  government  schools 
and  gave  several  demonstrations  of  the  ideal  to  which 
she  was  working. 

Miss  Derry  is  at  present  in  charge  of  the  physical 
work  in  the  Tientsin  Association.  Miss  Pyke  is  giv- 


12 


ing  half  time  to  language  study  and  half-time  to  the 
work  of  the  Association,  and  Miss  Saxelby  will  con- 
tinue with  the  Association  until  July. 

In  the  Methodist  Girls’  High  School  there  is  a 
student  branch  organized  and  instructed  by  Miss  Taft, 
d'hese  young  women  are  from  the  first  homes  of  Tient- 
sin and  will  go  out  to  the  places  of  highest  woman- 
hood in  the  great  city. 

Their  committees  and  cabinet  are  keen  on  develop- 
ing student  work  in  the  way  they  have  heard  it  done 
in  the  United  States.  Already  they  have  an  extension 
work,  various  members  giving  their  time  to  the  telling 
of  Bible  stories  in  a private  school  whose  pupils  are 
too  young  to  take  up  Bible  study. 


SUMMER  CONFERENCES. 

It  was  only  seven  years  ago  that  it  was  declared 
unadvisable  and  impossible  to  hold  a separate  con- 
ference for  girl  students.  Last  summer  under  the 
direction  of  Miss  Baxson,  now  student  secretary  for 
China,  there  was  gathered  at  the  Temple  of  the 
Sleeping  Buddha,  in  the  western  hills  beyond  the  walls 
of  Peking,  a conference  of  eighty  students,  represent- 
ing sixteen  schools,  nine  denominations  and  eight 
provinces.  Sixteen  missionaries  and  secretaries  were 
present  as  leaders  of  the  conference.  The  gathering 
was  financed  entirely  by  the  friends  in  North  China. 
The  messages  to  the  conference  were  a call  for  a sur- 
render of  body,  mind  and  spirit  to  Christ.  There  was 
dehnite  response  to  the  message,  the  new  social  life 
in  China,  making  it  possible  for  young  women  to  have 
a voice  in  the  ordering  of  their  own  future.  It  is 
safe  to  say  that  in  North  China  the  summer  conference 
will  become  more  and  more  a teacher  of  Association 
activity. 


13 


Some  of  the  young  women  from  the  non-Christian 
schools  are  eager  for  summer  camps  and  it  lacks  only 
^yorkers  to  bring  to  pass  what  the  Young  Men’s  Chris- 
tian Association  has  accomplished  in  North  China, 
a conference  wholly  for  students  of  government 
schools.  It  is  impossible  to  o\'er-estimate  this  form 


Physical  Training,  Summer  Conference. 


of  conference.  The  students  from  the  government 
schools  come  with  mature  minds  that  are  eager  to 
understand  the  foundation,  the  tenets  and  the  prac- 
tices of  the  Christian  religion.  Their  reading  has  in- 
cluded agnostic  and  rationalistic  literature.  A back- 
ground of  WTstern  history  and  thought  is  often  lack- 


14 


THAT  YOU  MAY  SHARE. 


In  February,  1914,  Wellesley  Alumnae  Association 
transferred  its  support  to  Miss  Theresa  Severin,  who  was 
graduated  from  Wellesley  College  in  1909.  She  then 
became  their  official  representative  on  the  held. 

The  ultimate  purpose  of  the  W'ellesley  interest  in  China 
focuses  in  Peking.  It  is  the  aim  to  make  Peking  a Welles- 
ley station  for  Association  work. 

To  do  this  there  must  be  at  least  two  secretaries  in 
command  of  the  language  before  Association  work  is 
possible  in  Peking. 

The  plan  for  the  present  year  is  as  follows ; 
a — The  support  of  Miss  Severin,  who  is  now  in  Peking 
at  language  study,  $1,100, 

b — The  support  of  a second  Wellesley  secretary  at  $1,100 
per  year  with  the  necessary  expense  of  outht  and 
journey,  $500. 

c — To  continue  the  gift  for  the  extension  of  the  National 
work,  increasing  it  in  proportion  to  the  number  of 


secretaries  to  $500. 

Siiiiimary — 

Support  of  Miss  Severin  $1,100 

Support  of  second  Wellesley  secretary 1,100 

Expense  of  outht  and  journey 500 

Extension  of  National  work  500 


17 


$3,200 


¥ 


' 


^ T 


£\J 


' ■ ^£-  '‘  • . 

-7)  - ' 

^ ■■ 

. - ’ **iA*  <*^ 


ing.  The  conference  affords  an  open  field  in  which 
to  meet  honest  inciuiries  and  to  present  forcibly  the 
claims  of  Christianity.  The  missionaries  of  North 
China  are  most  willing  to  contribute  of  their  experi- 
ence and  ability  for  this  work. 

CONCLUSION. 

As  the  seat  of  government,  as  the  center  of  the 
foremost  educational  movement  for  women,  and  as 
the  city  of  final  authority  for  customs  and  practices, 
Peking  is  pre-eminently  the  most  important  city  of 
China.  It  is  no  doubt  well  that  the  Young  Women’s 
Christian  Association  has  been  trying  out  its  methods 
and  studying  its  field  in  other  parts  of  China,  but 
there  is  no  longer  delay  possible  if  the  Association  ex- 
pects to  occupy  that  place  of  influence  in  China  now 
open  to  it.  There  must  be  workers  for  North  China 
and  especially  in  Peking.  There  is  probably  no  city 
in  the  world  where  a Christian  woman  can  make  her 
influence  for  good  more  widely  felt  than  in  Peking 
at  the  present  time.  Chinese  authorities,  missionary 
groups,  eager  iuctuiring  women,  and  the  inarticulate 
cry  of  those  needy  ones  who  know  not  that  Chinese 
women  have  come  to  a heritage,  all  invite  the  Associa- 
tion. Tientsin  and  Peking  both  are  cities  of  more 
than  a million  population.  Shall  we  take  incentive 
from  the  indomitable  courage  of  the  builders  of  the 
great  wall?  Shall  we  draw'  inspiration  from  the  Re- 
deemer of  all  the  earth?  Shall  w^e  say  “wdth  God  all 
things  are  possible,”  and  possess  the  students  of  North 
China  for  Christ! 


15 


National  Board  of  the 

Young  Women’s  Christian  Associations  of  the  United  Slates 
600  Lexington  Avenue,  New  York 
1914 


